In late October 2021, Ethyn began experiencing restless nights and pain in his right leg. Initially thought to be a pre-existing knee condition, however, further investigation revealed a shadow on an MRI, leading to a diagnosis of osteosarcoma.

The diagnosis came quickly, and within the same week, Ethyn started his first round of chemotherapy. December saw him undergo a significant limb salvage surgery, followed by months of continued chemotherapy until May 2022. Despite the challenges, Ethyn remained resilient, taking each day as it came and maintaining a positive outlook.

“I was really quite like, okay, I didn’t let it get me down, you know. I took it one day at a time, like whatever happens happens, I can’t control what I can’t control, so I was pretty okay with everything.”

“I just kind of got on with it, got the treatment done, and then continued as normal as I could really. But yeah, I did have down days where I was feeling a bit crap, but other than that, I was taking it one day at a time and not thinking about the worst, you know, just staying positive throughout the whole thing.”

When asked what got Ethyn through his cancer diagnosis, the support of friends and family was paramount. Ethyn particularly found comfort in the messages and visits from his close friends like Maddie. 

“Definitely keeping in touch with friends. I had Maddie, she’s a good friend from school, and we did cycling together before all this happened. And she would send me little videos, and she’d come over every now and again.”

Ethyn also had inspirational Olympic and Commonwealth track cyclist Sam Daken come and visit him in the hospital to show support. 

“Sam Daken, he’s an Olympic and Commonwealth track cyclist. I think he just came back from a competition and I messaged him then he got back to me and offered to come into the hospital. He gave me the Olympic tracksuit that they all wore and it was signed by everyone. That was pretty cool. Yeah. And I still message him occasionally and he always gets back to me.”

Despite the setbacks caused by treatment, including the loss of his favourite pastime, cycling, Ethyn persevered focusing on his recovery and mental well-being.

“I was doing track cycling and road cycling and I was training like four, five times a week. And then to get my diagnosis and go from being really active to bed bound and sick, it was like an adjustment I don’t think I was ready for that quickly. And sport was like really good for my mental health.”

Hydrotherapy became a game-changer in Ethyn’s recovery, offering both physical and mental relief.

“So after my surgery, I was doing physio at Starship and that was good and all, but it wasn’t working for my leg. I had a really bad footdrop and couldn’t touch my foot to the ground. My heel was way off the ground and I couldn’t put it flat. Then one of the physios, Johnny, He got me into doing hydrotherapy and that worked wonders. After a couple of months, my foot was slowly getting closer and closer to the ground and then I had a muscle release surgery on my foot as well to get it on the ground.”

“Getting in the water really helped with mental health. I felt really good when I got in the water. I was relaxed almost. It was really good. The environment is different. It takes away the lifestyle. So getting in the pool just kind of like a different version of yourself.”

As he nears the end of his treatment journey, Ethyn reflects on the invaluable support provided by his healthcare team, particularly mentioning the compassionate care provided by his nurses Simone and Kelly. Their presence and encouragement made all the difference during the toughest moments, instilling hope and positivity.

“They broke the barrier between health officials and friend. The whole nurses, they’re super friendly. Just always constantly checking in, making sure that I’m okay. Occasionally sit down and just have a chat with me.”

Ethyn’s mum, Lyndsey shared, “We couldn’t have asked for a better team. It’s just, you know, Mandy and Simone are just amazing. Mandy, you hear her before you see her with her clippy-cloppy shoes. She’s just, the breath of fresh air, she’s amazing. And then you’ve got the two Andy’s and Kelly, the banter, the care that they provided was just amazing. We can’t fault anything. Yeah, we’re just very grateful for everything they’ve done. 

“And even here, and even now, every time we see them, it’s a real nice catch-up during our three monthly reviews. It’s nice.”

As a way to give back to the community and cancer services, Ethyn organised a fundraiser that helped raise over $15,000 for the Sarcoma Foundation NZ. A testament to his generosity, kindness, and determination.

Looking ahead, Ethyn is excited to embrace newfound freedoms and experiences, from driving with a specially adapted license to reconnecting with friends and enjoying life’s simple pleasures.

“I feel like I did everything like I would a thousand times over, you know. I don’t know how many times I would do it. I would probably still do it the same way. I’m not sure. Because I had the positive mindset from the get-go.”

“Just keep a good attitude, you know, try to stay positive. Of course, have your days where you feel bad and you’re upset about everything, but don’t let that get to you and then just stay connected with people and have a good network around you. 

But all in all, just stay positive and take one day at a time. Don’t look at what’s been and don’t look too far into the future and go down this rabbit hole of what if, what if, just one day at a time, that’s all you can do, so yeah.”